Cooking with kids this summer holiday

Getting your kids to help you out in the kitchen helps boost their self-confidence and teach them basic cookery skills they’ll need when they grow up.

We asked nutritionists and chefs for their advice on kids’ recipe ideas, keeping it nutritious, and how to limit the mess...

Make bread

Whenyou’re cooking with children, choose recipes that are fun to make and not too messy. ‘Think edible playdough, and bread dough springs to mind’, says Jessica Andersson, chef, nutritional therapist and founder of food company Jessica’s Recipe Bag.

‘Kids love to get their hands into something squidgy and make shapes, and bread dough can provide just that.’ Get them to twist and roll the dough into plaits,knots and even use gingerbread cutters to stamp out figures. Jessica recommends making the dough yourself to avoid ‘too much flour billowing around the kitchen’, and suggests sprinkling seeds on top before baking for a healthier version.

Get their inquisitive minds going as well, by asking why they think the yeast makes the dough rise: ‘the making process can provide an opportunity for a science lesson too’, Jessica says.

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Try something different but nutritious

Chocolate Rice Krispie cakes and standard fairy cakes are great for kids to make, but why not try something different that’s also nutritious? Nutritionist and founder of the Lunchbox Doctor website Jenny Tschiesche suggests making the Popcorn Powerballs on her website.

‘They are really simple and involve very little prep but get amazing and quick results’, she told us. Make the popcorn, showing them how the kernels puff up once cooked. Blitz with dates, pecan nuts and desiccated coconut and after rolling, and a quick chill in the fridge, they’re ready to eat.

You can also get the kids to chop, juice and blend fruits to make healthy lollies or whizz frozen fruits in a blender for a quick and healthy dairy-free‘ice cream’. If you do make chocolate brownies or cakes, try low-fat versions and sprinkle with nuts (if appropriate) or dried fruits.

Make foods your children will actually like

There’s no point getting the children to help you make a meal you know they won’t eat -this will leave you both feeling deflated after an afternoon in the kitchen. Gowith your child’s favourite foods: maybe they love sushi rolls, or fancy mixing and rolling meatballs to eat with pasta.

Diego Jacquet, dad, chef and owner of the restaurant Zoilo, advises keeping recipes simple, with up to three main ingredients. He also suggests using new ingredients they might not have tried before, like orzo (it’s arice-shaped pasta and quick to cook).

Try carrot salads with tuna, scrambled eggs with different flavours and also couscous. And don’t plan something that’s going to take hours to make. As Diego says, ‘we all know it needs to be fast, right?’ Choose quick recipes and the children are less likely to get bored and wander off.

Safety

Safety is hugely important when you’ve got kids blending and preparing ingredients in the kitchen. Keep them away from hot pans and ovens - they can prepare the food while you use the oven.

For very young children, stick to no-bake treats like refrigerator cakes or use fresh fruit to make milkshakes or smoothies. Keep little hands away from gadgets like blenders and sharp knives, too.

However, do fight the instinct to do all of the prep while they watch - getting them to do some of the tasks will increase their confidence and keep them engaged. They can stir muffin mixtures, roll meatballs or cake pops into balls with their hands and crack eggs (crack them into a separate bowl first to limit the amount of shell in your omelette).

Older children can measure out ingredients, helping them understand weight and volume. Also, it goes without saying that everyone should wash their hands before and after preparing the food, to prevent the spread of bacteria. 

Get them to make dinner

It can be such a confidence boost for a child to help make a meal that the family will sit down and eat together. Jessica suggests getting them to make gnocchi(use sweet potatoes for a healthier version) or why not get them mixing mince and herbs into home-made burgers?

You might find too, that because they’ve played a part in making it, they’re more likely to try foods they would otherwise refuse, such as certain veggies or salads.

Do you think it’s important to get children interested in cooking? Which recipes do your kids like to make? Tell us over on Twitter.